Month: March 2017

For the past few weeks, I’ve been busy with testing new dishes in the middle of a renovation. Me and my colleague Kim Mustonen have been quite experimental in the kitchen. Aside from Nordic flavors, we’ve worked with Asian and Middle-Eastern flavors. Can you imagine eating kimchi in Olo? I didn’t believe it until now, but yes, it will be possible in our new restaurant. Me and Kim have looked outside the box and I have to say, it has been a lot of fun. Like I said earlier, my colleagues are everything when it comes to creating something new.

It has been exactly a year since I was in Japan with my co-workers Heikki & Kim. I still think about those times with a smile on my face. That trip also reflects to my food. I think I’ve added some Japanese elements to the new menu both consciously and subconsciously. And when I think about it, there are a lot of similarities between Nordic and Asian food. It’s minimalistic but ambitious.

So what is our new restaurant like? It’s simple, delicious and cheery.

Those are the words that, in my opinion, describe Olo Garden. It is like the adventurous little sister of Olo. A casual meeting place, where our guests can have a cocktail and some snacks – or enjoy a longer dinner, if they wish. And most importantly – decide for themselves and have a good time. Our dishes can be eaten with hands at the bar, on the couch or at a dining table.

The idea of Olo Garden was born some time ago in a meeting where me and my fellow restaurateurs were brainstorming about our inner courtyard. It is such a unique place and it has mostly been used for private events. The idea of opening a new restaurant came up and we didn’t need to think twice – it was a no-brainer. So here we are, a day before opening and I can’t believe how fast time has passed.

I still have a lot of work to do before tomorrow and I can’t say I’m not nervous. But it’s a good kind of nervous.